Youth (Teens & Adolescents) KNR 365
Disabilities or Issues
• Conduct disorders• Behavioral
disorders• Learning disorder• AD/HD• Autism Spectrum• PTSD• Anxiety disorders
• Reactive attachment disorder
• Depressive disorders
• Psychotic disorders
• Eating disorders• Oppositional
defiant disorder
Disabilities or Issues
• Adjudicated• Abuse & neglect• Substance abuse• Youth at risk• More…
Youth At RiskRobertson & Long, 2008
• At risk denotes a set of presumed cause-effect dynamics that place an individual child or adolescent in danger of future negative outcomes.
• At risk designates a situation that is not necessarily current but that can be anticipated in the absence of intervention
» McWhirter et al., 2004, p. 6
Youth At RiskRobertson & Long, 2008
• Teen pregnancy• Risky sexual
behavior• Youth gang
involvement• Poverty• Crime• Drug use• Social isolation
• Physical violence• Poor access to
health care• Physical inactivity• Obesity• Depression• Plus more
At-risk ContinuumMinimal Risk
• Favorable demographics– Higher socioeconomic status
• Positive family, school, and social interaction
• Limited psychosocial stressors
At-risk ContinuumRemote Risk
• Negative demographics
• Less positive family, school, and social interaction
• Some stressors
• Experiences of marginalization, oppression, racism
At-risk ContinuumHigh Risk
• Negative demographics• Negative family, school, and social interaction• Numerous stressors• Development of personal at-risk markers.
Negative attitudes, emotions, and skill deficiencies– Aggression, anxiety, conduct problems, mental
illness, hopelessness– Deficits in social skills & coping skills
At-risk ContinuumImminent Risk
• Negative demographics• Negative family, school, and social interactions• Numerous stressors• Development of personal at-risk markers.
Negative attitudes, emotions & skill deficits• Development of gateway behaviors & activities
– On brink of adopting deviant behaviors– Aggression toward other children & authority– Behaviors that can lead to juvenile delinquency
At-risk ContinuumAt-risk Category Activity
• Negative demographics• Negative family, school, and social interaction• At risk for more intense maladaptive behavior• Activity places them solidly in at-risk category• At risk for other categories• Their children will be at-risk
– More intense problems & maladaptive behaviors– Regularly truant from school– At risk of academic failure– Lack skills for advancing in life
Settings
• Inpatient & outpatient psych.– Lurie’s Children’s
Hospital of Chicagohttps://www.luriechildrens.org/en-us/Pages/index.aspx
– Highland Park Hospitalhttp://www.northshore.org/Psychiatry-Behavioral-Sciences/Clinical-Services/
– The Pavilionhttp://www.pavilionhospital.com/adolescent.html
• Residential– Cunningham
Children’s Homehttp://www.cunninghamhome.org/
– Epworth Children & Family Serviceshttp://www.epworth.org/
– Lawrence Hallhttp://www.lawrencehall.org/programs
Settings
• Criminal justice– Juvenile Justice System– Youth Detention Centers
• Foster care• School or alternative schools• Parks & recreation/SRA
– Teen Centers– Teen Programs
• Wilderness / outdoor – http://www.suws.com/
• More
Developmental Assets ModelWitt & Caldwell, 2005
• Search Institute
• 40 assets (20 internal & 20 external) deemed necessary for youth to move to adulthood
External Assets
• Support– Family Support: Family life provides high levels of
love & support– Positive Family Communication: Young person &
parent(s) communicate positively, and YP is willing to seek advice & counsel from parents
– Other Adult Relationships: YP receives support from 3 or more nonparent adults
– Caring Neighborhood: YP experiences caring neighbors
– Caring School Climate: School provides a caring, encouraging environment
– Parental Involvement in Schooling: Parent(s) are actively helping YP succeed in school
External Assets
• Empowerment– Community Values Youth: YPR perceives that adults
in community value youth– Youth as Resource: YP are given useful roles in the
community– Service to Others: YP serves in the community 1 hour
or more/week– Safety: YP feels safe at home, at school, and in the
neighborhood
External Assets
• Boundaries and Expectations– Family Boundaries: Family has clear rules &
consequences & monitors the YP’s whereabouts– School Boundaries: School provides clear rules &
consequences– Neighborhood Boundaries: Neighbors take
responsibility for monitoring YP’s behavior– Adult Role Models: Parent(s) & teachers encourage
the YP to do well– Positive Peer Influence: YP’s best friends model
responsible behavior– High Expectations: Both parent(s) and teachers
encourage the YP to do well
External Assets
• Constructive Use of Time– Creative Activities: YP spends 3 or more hours/week
in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts– Youth Programs: YP spends 3 or more hours/week in
sports, clubs, or organizations at school &/or in the community
– Religious Community: YP spends 1 or more hours/week in activities in a religious institution
– Time at Home: YP is out with friends “with nothing special to do” 2 or fewer nights/week
Internal Assets
• Commitment to Learning– Achievement Motivation: YP is motivated to do well in
school– School Engagement: YP is actively engaged in
learning– Homework: YP reports doing at lease 1 hour of
homework every school day– Bonding to School: YP cares about his/her school– Reading for Pleasure: YP reads for pleasure 3 or
more hours/week
Internal Assets
• Positive Values– Caring: YP places high value on helping other people– Equality & Social Justice: YP places high value on
promoting equality & reducing hunger and poverty– Integrity: YP acts on convictions & stands up for
beliefs– Honesty: YP “tells the truth even when it is not easy”– Responsibility: YP accepts & takes personal
responsibility– Restraint: YP believes it is important not to be
sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs
Internal Assets
• Social Competencies– Planning and Decision Making: YP knows how to plan
ahead & make choices– Interpersonal Competence: YP has empathy,
sensitivity, & friendship skills– Cultural Competence: YP has knowledge of and
contact with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds
– Resistance Skills: YP can resist negative peer pressure & dangerous situations
– Peaceful Conflict Resolutions: YP seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently
Internal Assets
• Positive Identity– Personal Power: YP feels s/he has control over
“things that happen to me”– Self-Esteem: YP reports having a high self-esteem– Sense of Purpose: YP reports that “my life has a
purpose”– Positive View of Personal Future: YP is optimistic
about personal future
Relationship Between Assets & Negative & Thriving Behaviors
Number of Assets
Negative Behaviors 0-10 11-20 21-30 31-40
Problem alcohol use 49% 27% 11% 3%
Violence 61% 38% 19% 7%
Illicit drug use 39% 18% 6% 1%
Sexual activity 32% 21% 11% 3%
Relationship Between Assets & Negative & Thriving Behaviors
Number of Assets
Thriving Behaviors 0-10 11-20 21-30 31-40
Succeeds in school 8% 17% 30% 47%
Maintains good health 26% 47% 69% 89%
Values diversity 36% 57% 74% 88%
Exhibits leadership 50% 65% 77% 85%
Casey Life Skills (CLS)http://www.casey.org/cls/assessments/LifeSkills.pdf
• Is a free tool that assesses the behaviors and competencies youth need to achieve their long term goals.
• It aims to set youth on their way toward developing healthy, productive lives.
• Examples of the life skills CLS helps youth self-evaluate include:– Maintaining healthy relationships– Work and study habits– Planning and goal-setting– Using community resources– Daily living activities– Budgeting and paying bills– Computer literacy– Their permanent connections to caring adults
Interventions
• Anger management
• Life skills• Drug & alcohol
programs• Coping skills• Relationship skills
• Cooperative games
• Sports• Sexual behaviors• Facebook &
social networking• Adventure
therapy– Teams course– Low & high ropes
Interventions
• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Midcourse Report (2013)– Intervention strategies for increasing physical activity
among youth aged 3-17 years
• http://health.gov/paguidelines/midcourse/
Skills
• Conflict resolution• Youth development• Behavior management• Ability to develop rapport• Ability to set boundaries• Process & debriefing skills
Self Harm
• What is self harm?
• Video
• Group work– Identify causes/reasons– Identify agencies with TR/RT– Identify interventions– Identify evidence-based practice